Bet McLean League Cup semi-final: Ballymena v Cliftonville (today, 3pm)
CLIFTONVILLE boss Barry Gray admits his side’s preparation for today’s League Cup semi-final clash with Ballymena United has been “terrible” – and called for a rethink to avoid more scheduling disasters in the future.
The last four clash was initially slated for December 12, then postponed until January 16 before the weather claimed an unwelcome hat-trick last Tuesday night when the tie was called off for a third time.
Early indications suggest it could be fourth time lucky for the game to go ahead at The Showgrounds, though Gray is taking nothing for granted.
“You just never know with this fixture,” he says with a nervous laugh.
“Nobody will believe it’s going ahead until we actually see it.”
The Reds boss adopts a more serious tone, however, when outlining the knock-on effect the series of cancellations has had on his side, and believes future League Cup semi-finals should be played on a neutral 3G surface.
“You don’t mind one call off, you push it down the line a wee bit, prepare again, but now the preparation for this game has been terrible,” added Gray, who is without suspended centre-back Gary Breen for the clash with David Jeffrey’s Braidmen.
“We didn’t really have training on Tuesday night because we were late back from Ballymena. On Thursday night, it’s a case of trying build up whatever you missed on Tuesday, then the fixture schedule for next week is hectic.
“So we’ve been out of our routine, and I’m a firm believer that when you take players out of their normal structure that it has a negative impact.
“The lesson to be learnt is that League Cup semi-finals should be at a neutral venue on a 3G pitch. That would solve problems going forward, and there’s a level of common sense to be adopted here.
“The league has been wanting to promote the League Cup in a more serious manner in the last couple of seasons – this hasn’t helped.
“Everybody wants to treat it as professionally as they can but this doesn’t give us the opportunity to do that.”
Whoever comes out of today’s game faces a final against Dungannon Swifts seven days later, which will further impact their Danske Bank Premiership programme.
It is “far from ideal”, admits Gray, whose main priority is to build on last weekend’s 4-1 Irish Cup sixth round win over north Belfast rivals Crusaders.
The former Warrenpoint Town boss admits it was his most enjoyable day since taking over the reins at Solitude, but that the spectre of Ballymena three days later ensured celebrations were kept to a minimum.
“The boys enjoyed it but we were back in on Sunday morning preparing for a semi-final on Tuesday night, so our mindset had to change very quickly
“That didn’t happen, and then you lose a bit of momentum from that. I was a bit disappointed that a lot of the coverage of that game focused around the penalty decision [Joe Gormley’s first penalty had to be taken twice as Crues midfielder Declan Caddell, who had just been sent off, hadn't left the pitch for the initial missed attempt.].
“At the end of the day, we beat Crusaders 4-1, we were the much better side, but the football part of it seems to have been left behind.
“People seem to be talking about this penalty decision as though it was the turning point of the game – it wasn’t.
“I found that strange, but everybody enjoyed the day and how the game panned out. You had that comfort zone, it’s very rare you would get that, so it allowed us to enjoy the game. I think at one stage I was even smiling on the sideline, so it was nice that way.”
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All games at 3pm
Bet McLean League Cup semi-final
Ballymena v Cliftonville
AFTER three rescheduled games, this last four clash finally looks set to go ahead at The Showgrounds today. Cliftonville will be without suspended centre-back Gary Breen, while Ballymena United boss David Jeffrey could give new signing Conor Quigley some game-time.
Both hold a 1-0 win from their League encounters so far this season, with consistency often proving elusive. Could be another tight one.
Prediction: Draw
Odds: H: 6/4 D: 13/5 A: 5/4
Danske Bank Premiership
Ards v Carrick Rangers
ARDS will hope to bounce back in style after being dumped out of the Irish Cup by Loughgall this week.
They have already defeated struggling Carrick twice this season, and a third win would put more deadlight between Colin Dixon’s men and third from bottom Warrenpoint Town.
Prediction: Ards
Odds: H: 8/11 D: 13/5 A: 3/1
Coleraine v Glenavon
SECOND place versus third, a mouth-watering clash awaits at Ballycastle Road. Coleraine sit three points behind table-toppers Crusaders and, with Stephen Baxter's men expected to account for Glentoran today, the Bannsiders need to keep the pressure on.
Glenavon are 13 points off Coleraine, but the free-scoring Lurgan Blues could have a big say in the destiny of the Gibson Cup.
Prediction: Draw
Odds: H: Evs D: 13/5 A: 2/1
Crusaders v Glentoran
THEIR 23-match unbeaten run was brought to an abrupt end by Cliftonville last weekend, but Crusaders got back to winning ways against Carrick Rangers on Tuesday night and will be fancied to see off Glentoran at Seaview today.
Prediction: Crusaders
Odds: H: 1/5 D: 9/2 A: 17/2
Linfield v Dungannon Swifts
DUNGANNON may have one eye on next week’s League Cup final against either Ballymena United or Cliftonville, but their main aim will still be to get into the top six.
Currently sitting eighth, seven points off Ballymena United, they travel to Windsor Park having lost both encounters with Linfield already this season
Prediction: Linfield
Odds: H: 2/9 D: 4/1 A: 15/2
